4 Thoughts

I've had a few thoughts today that are kind of sticking with me. They don't have any great importance, just thoughts that i'm having today. I use this blog as more of a journal of the life and times of my little family, so really, it's a place for me to reflect whether or not other people choose to read it.  Today is Valentine's Day. Most people are making plans for their date tonight, making heart shaped pancakes, and sending or recieving some hybrid of flower.
 I've done none of the above...and my thoughts have mostly taken a different path today! My first thought is that Leah's "boyfriend" at school is bringing her something special today. I'm looking forward to seeing what this gift may be. I'm hoping for a hand-written card of some sort that I can tuck away in her baby book.
 My second thought for the day is that i'm feeling a little violated with Leah's new reading skills. Don't get me wrong, it's amazing listening to her decode and read with fluency already. She's really loving shocking us with what she can read. I find her reading my e-mails and facebook status over my shoulder, thoughtfully sorting through the mail, trying to answer my texts, and even questioning my meal plan for the week on my calendar. I've lost this portion of privacy and it's kind of weird!
 The third thought on my mind is again, prompted by my current reading selection. A city kid is living on the farm with the main characters of the story, his father is trying to un-city him a bit. The kid, Jonathan, loves the manual labor he is doing, and is learning the lesson that all farmers learn. Animals and crops grow and die, flourish and perish all by the hand of God. Jonathan is learning to recognize that a 100% dependence on God's will each season is what will sustain this family, and Jonathan while he is there. It's gotten me thinking that back in the day, this was a common perspective. People worked hard for their own food, grew it and then refined it and baked it, canned it, pressed it and re-grew it. They raised their own livestock and spun their own wool and hauled their own water. They cut down the trees to build their own homes. If there was a fire, they lost everything. If there was a flood or hail, their crop was destroyed. My train of thought here is that I wish we had more of this mindset today. I believe that part of the reason we don't know how to "pray without ceasing", is because we're handed most things on a silver platter...or in a Target bag...or in an Amazon box. It's so easy to go and get what we need or want, and really, not have to put forth much thought or effort to get it. While I acknowledge I do not want to live on a farm and squeak out my own existence, and while I will be the first to admit that I love my running water and washing machine,  I do believe I'll continue to make our strawberry jam. The hard work makes it taste even sweeter.
 My last thought for the day is more along the lines of Valentine's day. (I'm not completely immune.) It used to bother me that Ryan didn't have a sweet tooth to speak of. I think it made me feel a bit self conscious about how much I REALLY liked  the stuff. All of it. While I've outgrown what i'd consider my sweet tooth, I still enjoy an indulgence now and then. Today i'm thankful that he's not a fan because i'm the happy recepient of all the treats his soccer kids give him. And he has a lot of soccer kids. And I have a hankering. And so I shall recieve.